Welcome to Monday Morning in Orlando
I haven’t checked yet, but hopefully the Dodgers beat the Red Sox in last night’s Superbowl. har har har
In today’s issue: 👇
- The Lubbe House
- Bracing for the Bill
- Moa Kai
- ….and much more
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Let’s dive in!
- Philip
P.S. Want some hawt community sourced foodie recommendations? Check out the Orlando Signal Restaurant Guide, right here.
P.P.S. Check out tons of open Orlando area jobs at the Orlando Signal Job Board, right here.
ORLANDO REWIND ⏪
This House Beats Hurricane Season. Can It Beat City Planning?
Two historic homes still stand on Lake Eola. One became a party venue. The other might get demolished. Go figure.
The Lubbe House at 215 E. Central Boulevard stayed a private residence until March 2025, the last lakefront home to keep its residential vibe. Meanwhile, the Eola House (built 1924) got the Cinderella treatment: the city bought it in 2013, fixed it up, and turned it into a lovely event space for rent. Happy ending!
The Lubbe House? Not so lucky. Its architect, Peter Cornelius Samwell, trained under designers of Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum and Stock Exchange before bringing Mediterranean flair and hurricane-proof Dutch tiles to Orlando. Nearly a century later, the original windows and woodwork are still intact.
Developer James Thornton, whose name still decorates Thornton Park street signs, sold the prime lakefront parcel to the Lubbe family back in 1930. The house survived 95 years of Florida weather.
But in March 2025, the Community Redevelopment Agency bought it for $2.54 million for park expansion. Now they're considering demolition.
The Orange Preservation Trust filed for landmark designation. Because apparently surviving a century of hurricanes is easier than surviving city planning meetings.
👉 Learn more about the Lubbe House, right here!
THE SQUEEZE 🍊
A New Front Door for Orange County Entrepreneurs
Orange County just made life easier for aspiring moguls and cafe dreamers alike.
Last month, officials unveiled the Business Resource Office at 201 S. Rosalind Ave. in downtown Orlando, a street-level spot where entrepreneurs can finally decode the mystery of permits, zoning rules, and regulatory paperwork.
Paired with an online Business Resource Dashboard featuring interactive maps and property data, the hub targets the Orlando metro's 415,000-plus small businesses.
Mayor Jerry L. Demings called the initiative vital for an economy where small operations make up over 80 percent of all businesses.
Staff answer questions, untangle red tape, and connect visitors with training programs. No appointment needed. Just walk in.
🧐 Check out Orange County’s Business Resource Office, right here.
Voices From the Past, Speaking to the Future
Orlando's planned Holocaust Museum for Hope & Humanity is taking storytelling into the future, literally. Through artificial intelligence, Holocaust survivors will chat with visitors long after they're gone, answering questions and sharing memories on life-size screens.
The 25,000-square-foot downtown space is going all-in on technology that keeps history personal. Each AI-powered preservation runs about $250,000, capturing stories that range from hiding in chicken coops to surviving concentration camps.
Opening in 2027, the museum is designed to spark conversations about standing up against prejudice today. Think of it as history with a heartbeat, where the past speaks directly to anyone willing to pull up a chair and listen.
(Learn lots more about Central Florida's new Holocaust museum with Matthew J. Palm, right here)
Bracing for the Bill: Help Arrives Before the Cold Snap Costs Hit
Last week's brutal cold snap meant one thing: electric bills that'll make people shiver harder than the weather itself. But plenty of Greater Orlando families are finding help before those bills arrive.
The Senior Resource Alliance helped over 500 households last year through its EHEAP Program, offering up to $2,000 for families with members age 60 or older.
Catholic Charities reviews cases individually across nine counties to keep the lights on.
Heart of Florida United Way connects residents of all ages with support through 211 (more on 211 coming soon!).
Orlando Utilities Commission runs Project Care, while United Against Poverty Orlando teams up with utilities on rebates and credits.
(Learn lots more about utility assistance programs with Keith Landry, right here)
💼 This Week’s Curated Jobs
Sourced from the Orlando Signal Job Board!
🔥 Together with JobOwl. Get past the robots, get to the interview. JobOwl customizes your resume for any job in seconds. Discover JobOwl here.
🍔 Facilities Supervisor The Wendy's Company | Orlando
Keep 30-60 Wendy's restaurants running smoothly by managing maintenance teams, capital projects, and vendor relationships across equipment, HVAC, and facilities operations.
💰 $74K-$126K/year + 10% bonus | 👉 Learn More & Apply
📣 Public Relations & Brand Communications Coordinator Better Talent by Laveer & Co. | Orlando
Craft and execute PR strategies, manage media relations, and support client engagement for a growing organization building its brand presence.
💰 $45K-$55K/year + benefits | 👉 Learn More & Apply
✈️ Supervisor - Airport Operations United Airlines | Orlando International Airport
Lead frontline teams at one of United's busiest hubs, ensuring exceptional customer service and smooth operations from check-in to departure gate.
💰 $80.2K-$98K/year | 👉 Learn More & Apply
📊 Administrative Assistant, Sales & Marketing GLE Scrap Metal - Florida | Orlando Area
Power sales operations with your Excel wizardry and CRM expertise, managing data, reports, and client communications in the scrap metal industry.
💰 $21-$23/hour + benefits | 👉 Learn More & Apply
Tap/click here for lots more opportunities. Over 200 added last week!
✈️ Orlando’s best flight deal - Roosters and rum runners edition
Key West in late February doesn't care what you think. This tiny island's got its own rules, its own rhythm, and absolutely zero pretense. You're dodging roosters on Duval Street, eating fresh grouper at a picnic table, and realizing that nowhere else in America feels quite this... unfiltered? In the best way. The water's perfect, the sunsets are mandatory, and honestly, just embrace whatever this place is. You'll get it when you're there.
Orlando (MCO) → Key West (EYW) for 123 bucks*, round-trip Friday through Monday in late-February/early March. See the deal.
*Price shown above is accurate as of the time this newsletter was sent.
TASTY NEWS 🧑🍳
Orlando Area Eateries Coming & Going
1️⃣ SOFT OPENED: Mugendai - Japan's Finest Lands in Oviedo
Mugendai (Insta) soft opened last week in Oviedo, bringing an intimate slice of Japan to Central Florida. Dive into fresh sashimi, sizzling yakitori, and beautifully crafted sushi, all made with equipment and ingredients flown in from Japan. The à la carte menu is live now, with whispers of a chef's table experience on the horizon.
#ORLANDOSIGNAL 📸
Lake Eola’s Chinese Pagoda
📷 via @orlandosignal |📍Downtown
Tag @orlandosignal to get your photo featured in the newsletter!
FOODIE FIND, FORK YEAH! 🤩
Moa Kai Hawaiian Diner
📍Various pop-up markets around Orlando. See schedule here.
Moa Kai Hawaiin Diner (Insta) is a love letter to Hawaii, wrapped in a plate lunch and served with a smile.
From the crew behind Orlando favorites Poke Hana, Chi-Kin, and Side Chik comes an island diner where the vibes are chill, the food is ono (delicious), and everyone's treated like 'ohana (family).
The name blends Hawaiian words for chicken and ocean, a nod to those wild, free-roaming birds spotted on every island beach.
Dig into garlic shrimp, poke bowls, and loco moco while soaking up pure aloha.
Good food, good vibes. Simple as that.
👉 Check out their menu, right here 👈
Source: Moa Kai
MORE PULP! 😎
Weekday things to check out
🍔 Tasty Takeover in The Milk District
📅 Tuesdays | 6:30-10pm
📍 The Milk District – 2424 E Robinson St
Orlando's premier weekly food truck block party featuring diverse culinary offerings behind the shops and bars.
👉 Dine Alfresco
🍷 Celebration Wine Stroll
📅 Wednesday, February 11th | 6-9pm
📍 Celebration
Visit 4 lovely homes featuring different wine regions plus non-alcoholic options, with small bites and music benefiting Help Now of Osceola for $85.
👉 Valentine Gift
📚 Hint of History: Stories in Motion
📅 Wednesday, February 11th | 1:30-4pm
📍 Orange County Regional History Center
Explore connections between art, animation, and storytelling through Animationland exhibition; designed for ages 5-11, all ages welcome.
👉 Animated Stories
🩰 Orlando Ballet's Carmen
📅 Wednesday-Saturday, February 12th-15th | 2pm & 7:30pm
📍 Steinmetz Hall, Dr. Phillips Center
Thrilling ballet of passion and betrayal with cinematic staging and high-octane movement.
👉 Passionate Performance
🎨 An Evening of Art, Wine, and Wild Florida
📅 Thursday, February 12th | 6-8pm
📍 Wekiva Island
Conservation Florida wine and paint experience with artist Peter Pettegrew, including two wines, charcuterie, and supplies.
👉 Paint & Preserve
🎨 Polasek Nights
📅 Thursday, February 12th | 6-8pm
📍 Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens
After-hours Valentine's season experience with evening garden and gallery access, interactive art moments, and cash bar.
👉 Romantic Culture
💕 Galentine's Day Soirée
📅 Thursday, February 12th | 6-8pm
📍 JoJo's Shake Bar
Girls' night featuring welcome drink, "Girl Dinner," dessert table, friendship bracelet making, and rom-coms for $42.
👉 Celebrate Friendship
🎵 Bethune-Cookman University Concert Chorale
📅 Thursday, February 12th | 7:30pm
📍 Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater
"Lift Every Voice and Sing" choral celebration honoring love of community, faith, and history through resilience and shared memory.
👉 Voices United
🎤 Kathy Griffin: New Face, New Tour
📅 Thursday, February 12th | 8pm
📍 The Plaza Live
Two-time Emmy and Grammy award-winning comedian brings her pull-no-punches comedy to Orlando.
👉 Laugh Hard
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THANKS!
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Thanks for reading! I’ll see you again on Thursday’s weekend fun issue.
My Best,
Philip - Publisher, Orlando Signal
